The University of New Mexico is set to hold a ceremonial blessing to mark the next phase of its new Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS) building on Tuesday, April 28, at 2 p.m. at the HSS building site. The event is open to the public.
The ceremony will start with a traditional blessing song by Diné singer Warlance Chee, and will be followed by speeches from UNM President Garnett S. Stokes, Provost Barbara Rodriguez, College of Arts & Sciences Dean Jennifer Malat, and principal architect Billie Tsien. The program is structured to move from cultural grounding to institutional leadership and, finally, to the architectural vision shaping the space.
The new HSS Building will be situated at the heart of UNM’s main campus, close to Smith Plaza and across from Zimmerman Library. This project demonstrates a deliberate effort to align academic priorities with a design that is rooted in place and responsive to the communities it serves.
“The blessing ceremony for the new Humanities & Social Sciences Building will honor the spiritual significance of this place,” said Malat. “The design team spent time throughout the region, including at Chaco Canyon, Acoma Pueblo, and Bandelier National Monument, as well as on UNM’s campus, to create a structure that reflects the state’s heritage and connects our students to who they are and who they aspire to be. This building will open campus to the community and give first-year students access to spaces designed for connection and learning.”
Designed by New Mexico-based SMPC Architects in collaboration with Studio Tsien in New York, the building is meant to serve as a central academic and community hub. Tsien, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, has described her work as creating “containers for community,” an approach reflected in the design.
The facility will accommodate eight academic departments, four interdisciplinary institutes, and the Language Learning Center. First-floor classrooms will include dedicated spaces for American Sign Language and Navajo language instruction. Additionally, the building will have a community kitchen, an event space with views of the Sandia Mountains, a first-floor living room for gatherings, and a humanities research center. Nearly every UNM undergraduate is expected to pass through the building at some point in their academic journey.
Subterranean work will commence this summer, with vertical construction set to begin in August. The project is projected to be completed by 2028.
** UNM is leading a $10 million philanthropic effort to support the project and enhance its impact. Community members who are interested in contributing can find more information here. Additional details are available on the official project page and through the College of Arts & Sciences website.
